New International Version
Isaiah 30:21
21Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
Context of Isaiah 30:21
19People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” 22Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!” 23He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows.
Read all of Isaiah 30Isaiah 30:21 word by word
וְאָזְנֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּשְׁמַ֣עְנָה דָבָ֔ר מֵֽאַחֲרֶ֖יךָ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֤ה הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ לְכ֣וּ ב֔וֹ כִּ֥י תַאֲמִ֖ינוּ וְכִ֥י תַשְׂמְאִֽילוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thine earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- shall hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- thee, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- walk ye in itיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- when ye turn to the right handאָמַן'âman · to turn rightH541
- and when ye turn to the leftשִׂמְאֵלώâma'l · to go leftH8041
Cross-references for Isaiah 30:21
- Isaiah 35:8And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.
- Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 48:17This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
- Isaiah 58:11The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
- Psalms 25:8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
- Psalms 143:8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
- Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
- Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
- 1 John 2:20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
- Deuteronomy 5:32So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.
- Joshua 1:7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
- Joshua 23:6“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
- 2 Kings 22:2He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
- Psalms 32:8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
- Proverbs 4:27Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Commentaries on Isaiah 30:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21When ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left "Turn not aside, to the right or to the left" - The Syriac Chaldee, and Vulgate, translate as if, instead of כי־וכי ki -vechi, they read לא־ולא lo -velo .Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And thine ears shall hear a word - A command or admonition. You shall not be left without spiritual guides and directors. Behind thee - That is, says Vitringa, the voice of conscience, as an “invisible” guide, shall admonish you. The idea, however, seems to be that if they were ignorant of the way, or if they were inclined to err, they should be admonished of the true path which they ought to pursue. The idea is taken either from the practice of teachers…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-26Verses 19-26 God's people will soon arrive at the Zion above, and then they will weep no more for ever. Even now they would have more comfort, as well as holiness, if they were more constant in prayer. A famine of bread is not so great a judgment as a famine of the word of God. There are right-hand and left-hand errors; the tempter is busy courting us into by-paths. It is happy if, by the counsels of a faithful minister or friend, or the checks of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The people’s own ears will hear and follow God’s instructions (see Isaiah 6:9–10; 29:18; 35:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. word--conscience, guided by the Holy Spirit (Joh 16:13).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 30:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries